Truth Seekers
by AirHawk19
Summary: After Yamatai, an old friend returns from a similar experience. A new adventure awaits and Lara learns the truth of her father's work. Discontinued. Note at the end of last chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any characters or materials taken from the video-game series. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Author's Note: I love the Legend story arc and the first reboot game story, so this is the first part of my attempt to merge them. Also, I don't get why everyone seems to think Lara and Sam are a couple. Personally, I see their relationship as purely platonic, so that's how I write them. But that's just me I guess.**

Chapter 1: A Friend Returns.

"Come on, Lara. You haven't eaten all day."

Lara ignored Sam and continued to watch the large plasma screen TV as the world news scrolled by. Sam reached over and turned off the TV. Lara grabbed the remote and flipped it right back on.

"Lara! Come on. You've been glued to that thing all day. You need to eat." Sam tugged at her friend's arm.

"Lemme alone, Sam. I'll eat when I feel like it," said Lara swatting Sam's hand.

"I can hear your stomach growling from here," Sam sighed. "Fine. If you won't come to the food, I'll have to bring the food to you," she muttered as she stalked back into the kitchen.

Sam leaned against the counter and sighed. It had been three months since Yamatai, and the barrage of news, press, and media had not had a positive effect on Lara. Her PTSD had her on edge, and something as simple as a camera flash was enough to make her go berserk. The gossips had had a field day with that; _'Lara Croft: Modern Day Amazon or Psychotic Killer?'_ Sam had taken Lara to a country house of her family's up in the mountains somewhere in Idaho. It was secluded and remote enough to where the media didn't bother chasing, so Lara had the peace and quiet she needed. But the damage had already been done. Lara was constantly pouring over Google News and watching the world news channel for stories on Yamatai and what happened there, according to the media. The stories only reenforced the negative opinion she had of herself and did more harm than good, but if Lara wanted to do something, Sam was powerless to stop her.

Sam sighed again and picked up the plate of beans on toast (Lara's favorite food) that she had just made. Sam personally found it disgusting. Beans and toast are great, but not together. She shrugged and walked back into the living room, setting the food down in front of Lara.

Lara actually seemed interested in the food once she got a whiff of it. The anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pills she was on for her dark moods and PTSD suppressed her appetite, so anytime she showed interest in food was a victory for Sam. She promptly grabbed a slice and took a huge bite. Just then a news special came on.

"A survivor of the expedition ship _Calico_ , was picked up by a salvage wrecker two weeks ago and just got into Pacific port four days ago. We only recently received permission to use the film of the event," the anchorman announced.

A news reel played of a young woman about Lara and Sam's age, descending the gangplank of a rusty salvage ship. She had shoulder length wavy brunet hair, pointed ear tips sticking through it, red cat's eyes, and wolf fangs. She looked tired and worn and was guarded by two strong men on either side. As soon as she touched land, the press swarmed her like a pack of hungry wolves. She recoiled from having flashbulbs going off in her face and so many people trying to swarm her.

"Jo Pierce! How does it feel to be back in civilization?" one reporter asked.

"What can you tell us about the island?" shouted another.

"Can you confirm the rumor that there was a group of crazy psychopaths on the island?"

"Is it true you killed nearly three hundred people?"

"Is it true that you killed many of those people with your teeth?"

"Silence!" Jo shouted in a voice like thunder. "Silence. I cannot think with all this hubbub. You call this civilization? I think you are barbaric. I am weary and wounded and just want peace and quiet. Yet, I am bombarded on every side with questions to which you think you already know the answers and are biased against me. Even if I tell the truth in its simplest form, you will name me a murdering savage, because it suits your fancy and your pocket. I should not have to defend and justify myself before people who should know better, yet act like children; for they do not and cannot understand the pain and anguish I have suffered. And I don't just mean physical pain. I have wasted enough of my breath on you people. Just leave me alone." She swayed a little, suddenly unsteady. One of the men caught her and supported her as she was led to a car.

Lara almost spit out her mouthful of beans on toast, but she managed to swallow instead.

"Oh, my, gosh. Jo," she couldn't believe her eyes and ears.

Jo had been Lara's first real childhood friend. She had met the American mutant when her family spent some time in the States, and they had become friends at once. They had kept up correspondence until Jo came to the U.K. to attend college. That's when Sam had met her. At first Lara had been apprehensive that Sam and Jo might not get along, but the two hit it off at once. Jo was really good with anything mechanical or electronic and was always tinkering with one thing or another if she wasn't studying ancient texts and what have you. Her love of adventure and finding the truth of history, combined with her love of electronics and mechanics, gave her the perfect bridge between Lara and Sam's interests. Jo had majored in mechanics actually, with a minor in history and archaeology. She had wanted to sign on the _Endurance_ , but her expertise in mechanics as well as archaeology was needed on the _Calico_. So, she was on an expedition headed in the complete opposite direction. After that, all Lara and Sam had heard when they got back was that the _Calico_ had been lost at sea.

Now, seeing one of her best friends who, along with Sam, she loved like a sister, alive after three months of being presumed dead, now being persecuted by the media, awoke a deep feeling of protective rage in Lara.

She stood up, beans and toast forgotten. "We have to help her."

Sam was startled. Lara's eyes were blazing with rage and her muscles were tense. She was furious at how the media was abusing Jo and obviously wanted to protect her. Sam was upset too and wanted to help, but they had no idea where Jo was.

Just then the phone rang.

"Hello?" Sam inquired.

"Sam? Oh gosh, it's good to hear your voice! They're after me!" Jo sounded near hysteric.

"Who's after you?" Sam asked.

"The press! They follow me everywhere! I can't step outside my hotel without having a camera or microphone shoved in my face! I have no peace!" When Jo was really angry she sometimes sounded hysteric and Sam detected the warning signs.

"Alright, we'll come get you. Where's your hotel?" Sam grabbed a pen and pad.

"It's the Bay View Inn on Maple st. Hurry, they're about to break down my door!" Jo exclaimed.

Sam jotted down the address and said, "On our way," before hanging up.

"Was that Jo?" Lara asked.

"Yes. We need to go." Sam led the way to the car.

* * *

As they drove around to the back parking lot of the hotel, Sam glanced up and saw Jo climbing out of a fourth story window.

"Oh, crud. I guess she wasn't kidding about the press breaking down the door," said Sam as she pulled into a spot as close to the window as possible.

Jo clambered down the side of the building and dropped the last twenty feet. She dashed over to the car and got in.

"Drive," she commanded as she buckled her seatbelt.

Soon they were back at the house. Fifteen minutes later, Jo was shoveling down as much food as possible as quickly as possible.

"You might want to slow down. You're shoveling that down like you haven't eaten in days," said Sam.

"I haven't. I've been trapped in my room by the press for three days. I'm hungry," Jo said with her mouth full.

"Why didn't you order room service?" Sam asked.

"Couldn't afford it." Jo continued to eat ravenously.

A few minutes later however, she pushed her plate back and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. For the first time since she got back, she was relaxed, content and happy. Now that her stomach was full and she felt safe and secure, she was rapidly beginning to fall asleep. Jo dragged herself out of the chair and staggered into the living room, only to collapse onto the couch. She was out cold before she hit the cushions.

"Poor Jo! She must have been through a heck of an ordeal on that island," said Sam.

"I know. I know how she feels. She's been through her own Yamatai," said Lara, a distant, brooding look in her eyes.

Lara stood and went into the living room. Sam followed and found Lara sitting next to Jo, having covered her with a blanket and tucked her in. Jo was curled up in the fetal position, snoring softly. Sam came over and sat down next to Lara. For a long time they sat there watching their weary friend. As they watched, a peaceful expression came to Jo's face as her emotionally and physically drained body completely relaxed.

Sam yawned and decided to go to bed. She bid Lara goodnight and headed for her room. Lara continued to watch Jo, but her mind was far away, on an island, surrounded by crazed cultists and undead warriors. Blood, fire, water, wind, pain, gunshots, screaming, death, all intermingled into a chaos and noise that made no sense. A blur of color, noise and feeling. Chaos. Absolute chaos. Lara felt lost in it, she had no strength to fight it, it was consuming her.

Lara's head hit the edge of the couch with a bang. She jolted awake rubbing her bruising forehead. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep and off her chair. Lara shook her head and crawled under the blanket with Jo. She was too tired to go to her own room and she didn't want to be by herself anyway. She wrapped her left arm protectively around Jo and fell asleep.

* * *

Sam walked into the living room the next morning to find Lara and Jo asleep on the couch. Lara's arm was still clutching Jo protectively as the two weary and wounded women slept. Sam smiled and shook her head. Poor Lara. She was in worse shape than she let on. The poor woman was losing her mind and only Jo could help her out of this nightmare.

Some might misinterpret Lara's actions towards Jo as those of a lover, but Sam knew that both women, like herself, were straight. At any rate, Sam let them sleep. They needed it. They both woke up about ten minutes later anyway. Hunger was the alarm that kept Jo from sleeping too long and Jo getting up was what woke Lara up.

"Good morning, sleepyheads. Breakfast'll be ready in a few minutes," said Sam as she flipped pancakes.

"I have to admit guys, I feel like I'm losing my mind. That island, the horrors I saw there…" Jo shivered.

"There, there. Try not to think about it," said Lara, putting her arm around Jo.

"You're wrong, Lara. I _have_ to think about it and talk about it. Otherwise it'll just eat away at me 'til there's nothing left of my sanity. It's human nature. I have to talk about it. We both, have to talk about it," said Jo, looking right into Lara's eyes.

Lara was the first to look away. She had forgotten Jo's piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate to her very heart. No one could withstand her gaze for long, but to Lara, it seemed that even though she could bear it longer now, there was something else in that gaze. Something that hadn't been there before. A looming madness. This thought gave Lara pause and caused her thoughts to turn inward. As Lara looked deeper and deeper into her mind, she like what she saw less and less. Then it hit her like a thunderclap. She was losing her mind as well. The noise! The chaos! It was overwhelming! It was dragging her down, down into madness, down into that pit from whence there is no return.

"LARA!" Jo's voice boomed like a thunderclap.

Lara was jerked out of her mental free fall back to the present, back to reality. She opened her eyes and gasped for breath, like a diver who's been under a bit too long. She looked at Jo gratefully. Jo looked concerned.

"I fear for your sanity, Lara. You are a strong woman, though you didn't know that at the beginning of your journey. But, the survivors' trial by fire is a hard trial even for a mutant to bear. You and I are alike in more ways than one, Lara, for we have both passed through the fire. Now comes the hardest part, the healing. Will we choose to heal and become stronger for it? Or will we choose to succumb to our wounds and become less than human? Become raving, violent lunatics? I for one choose life and healing! I will not succumb to the harshest of wounds without a fight! No one is going to be able to say Jo Pierce didn't give it her all before the end! I've never backed down from a good fight and I'll die before I do!" Jo's eyes blazed with unhealthy fire as she fought violently with her mental demons.

Lara and Sam both feared that their friend was going to lose this fight, but soon the fire went out of Jo's eyes and she slumped into a chair with a tired sigh. Sam got breakfast on the table and they all ate in silence. After breakfast they all went into the living room and sat down. Jo looked awful, but the worst of it was the feverish fire that continually burned in the backs of her eyes. The fire of looming madness. It was smoldering now, just sleeping, but Lara and Sam both knew that it could flare up at any moment.

Jo sighed and broke the silence. "Guys, I have to tell you everything," she said wearily.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Jo's Story.

"When I left on the _Calico_ , I had the worst nightmare ever. In this nightmare, I saw the _Endurance_ wrecked on Yamatai and Sam kidnapped. I saw you Lara, go through the survivors' trial by fire. I saw everything. The cultists, the storms, the rituals, the fights, Himiko… everything. My heart bled for you even after you escaped, but then, a storm to rival yours hit the _Calico_ and I woke suddenly as I was thrown into the sea. The ship did not survive, nor any of her crew. I was washed ashore and after crawling a few hundred yards inland, collapsed. When I awoke, I was bound to a stake set for burning. A tall man with dark hair and the flame of insanity in his black eyes, came and stood before me. He bore in his hand a staff of black hawthorn carved with strange symbols.

With this staff, he struck me several times about the head and when my injuries healed before his eyes, he turned to the crowd that stood behind him and said, "Behold! The demon of the sea, whom nothing save fire can destroy! Once this accursed creature has been destroyed, we may begin to build our ships and sail away from this accursed place!"

The crowd cheered and chanted the name "Grondel! Grondel!" over and over. The man Grondel, who was obviously their leader, called for a torch and set fire to my pyre. I had by now been working my ropes for a few moments, but when I saw the fire start, I just up and yanked on the ropes as hard as I could. The force of my pull snapped the ropes and cracked the stake and I lit out of there as fast as my legs would carry me.

They had been stunned by my getting loose, but recovered themselves and pursued me. I managed to lose them in the forest and stopped by a stream to get a drink. I was hungry by now, so I hunted and managed to snag a few rabbits. After that, I knew I had to escape this blasted island, but in order to do that I needed more information. I started my journey and the first thing I came across was a downed search and rescue plane. I decided to take a look as there might be something I could use.

As I rummaged through the wreck, I found some fire strikers, a good sized rescue bowie with a belt sheath, an entirely intact first aid kit, a couple of wool blankets and a rucksack. I also took a large tarp and all the rope and cordage I could find. It was a sizable heap too. After I had packed everything away, I took a look at the dashboard and saw the compass was spinning like a top. Puzzled, I found another compass and it was the exact same thing. Both compasses were intact and should have worked, but something was very off about the magnetism of this place.

From this one discovery a list of islands of legend began to form in my head, but I needed more info to narrow it down. I left the wreck, taking the personal compass with me in case the magnetic phenomenon was only limited to the wreck. I was quickly proven wrong.

The next place my ordeal led me to, was a huge underground city. I found a small cave that I decided to shelter in for the night, but it turned out to be a back entrance to a massive, sprawling, subterranean city! I managed to hide myself and get some sleep, but the next day I decided to carefully explore this city. I had now narrowed down the list of island names to three based on my newest findings, but I was still missing the final piece of the puzzle.

As I explored, I found several journals from the current and past inhabitants of the island. What I found inside them were entries such as this:

 _'I made it through the trials. Father Grondel says I'm one of them now. At last! We can work to destroy the demons that hold us here and escape to freedom!'_

 _'It's been three years since the crash. I don't know how, but I survived. Father Grondel is mad, I'm mad, we're all mad! It's this place. It gets into your head and eats away until there's nothing left but the madness. There is nothing but chaos. We cannot get out. There is no escape. We cannot get out. The creature is coming.'_

 _'I fear Father Grondel and his followers. If they find me, they will try to destroy me, saying I am a demon that imprisons them here! They are all mad! It is folly for men to come here! The crystal is too powerful for any man to wield! I wish I had stayed home. I shall never again see my beloved Silvia and our children. Silvia, should this journal by some miracle find its way into your hands, just know that I love you and the children more than anything in this world. Give them my love and tell them I'll always be watching over them. Goodbye, my love.'_

It was that last entry that gave me the final piece. The crystal mentioned had to be the legendary Idac Crystal. This particular Mutant relic had the power to grant power over the earth and weather to whomever held it. But, any normal human that tried to wield it would go mad. I now knew I was on Radock Island and I also knew I had to get that crystal, by any means necessary.

However, as I made my way through the city, I was continually forced to fight and kill the raving mad lunatics that now inhabited the once proud city. I can still see them, their faces contorted with anger, pain, madness, fear… and the smell. Oh, my gosh, the smell! Blood, fear, hatred… you name it, it was there. It was awful. Chaos. Absolute, unfettered chaos, and it threatened to consume me. But I had but one goal, to stop this madness from spreading by getting that crystal! I fought my way through the city until at last I found the crystal.

But I also found Grondel. He was holding the crystal and used it to create a high platform out of the rock. We were each standing at either end of it and he said, "So, you show yourself at last, demon. I will destroy you once and for all, then I shall make my ships and with my loyal army behind me, I shall conquer the world!"

"You are mad, Grondel, if that is even your right name. You cannot wield the power of the crystal. It is too much for a normal human such as you! Give it up or be lost to its madness forever!" I shouted at him.

He paid no heed, but laughed and said, "Madness? You are mistaken. This crystal has opened my eyes! For the first time, I can see the truth! Men are demons in disguise. Only those who are purified by the fire of truth can be saved. All others must perish!"

I could see the utter madness in his eyes and knew I had to fight him. I grit my teeth and charged at him. He used the crystal to throw me back, but I used my powers of adhesion to stick to the ground and slowly made my way over to him as he continued to throw up a stiff wind. Eventually he realized that I wasn't about to be blown away by his little trick, so he got nasty, hurling chunks of rock at me, but my reflexes were too sharp for that. Then he lost patience and charged at me brandishing his staff.

It must have been made of some extraordinary hawthorn, because it delivered quite a stinging blow to my arm without breaking, but I grabbed his staff and we locked up. We each fought to wrench the staff from the other, but he was so focused on getting his staff back that he didn't notice I was gradually working him towards the edge. With one final push, I threw down my enemy and he fell with a terrible screech, smashing into the rock floor below. However, I had managed to get the crystal away from him as we struggled for the staff.

I then had to fight my way out of the city. I made my way to the water on the far side of the island and finding an old sailboat, managed to stock and repair it and got off that crazy island. I wrapped the crystal in my webbing so it wouldn't effect the compass or anyone else I might happen to run across. I was on that boat for a couple months and was in pretty rough shape when that wrecker picked me up, but they nursed me as best they could and the rest you know," said Jo.

As she had been telling the story, she had begun to look less and less like the wild, half-mad Jo they had rescued from the press, and more and more like the old Jo they once knew. Jo felt that, by telling her story to people she knew would understand, a great weight had been lifted off her and she was able to make peace with what had happened. She knew the fight wasn't over quite yet, but a significant victory had been won.

"It's your turn now, Lara. Tell us exactly what happened and how you felt," said Jo, giving Lara a look that couldn't be refused.

Lara gave in and told both Jo and Sam exactly what happened and the whirlwind of emotions she had felt. Afterwards, like Jo, she felt a great weight slough from her mind and felt better than she had for months. She knew that she and Jo weren't out of the woods yet, but they were near the edge.

Sam broke down crying and told them both about her ordeal on Yamatai and the fear that had threatened to consume her afterwards and how she had overcome it by remembering that life was worth living and the ordeal was over and that Lara needed her.

* * *

As the weeks and months passed, Jo steadily recovered and soon won her inner war and was back to her old self. Mostly. There was still something different about her. She was more determined, more reserved and more hardened than she was before. Lara also overcame in her own personal war a few weeks later, when she was standing in the rain looking out over a canyon after her morning run.

As she gazed out over the landscape before her she thought, _'How beautiful it all is. But now, the time has come. Now, I need answers. I need to know what happened to my father.'_

When Lara returned, Jo and Sam knew she was safe and that she would want action, so they surprised her.

"Hey, Lara! Get yourself dry and comfortable, 'cause Sam and I have got a surprise for you," called Jo, tossing Lara a towel when she came in.

"Alright, but I have something I need to tell you first," Lara replied as she started drying her hair and walking towards her bedroom.

"Nuh-uh. Surprise first, then you can tell us whatever you want," said Sam teasingly.

"Alright. You win. I'll be out in a minute." Lara appeared a few minutes later in dry clothes and her ponytail fixed. She took a seat in one of the La-Z-Boys as Jo stood up and started talking.

"Look Lara, we all know you've mostly overcome the effects of Yamatai, and you'll be wanting to find the answers to the questions you've been carrying ever since your father disappeared. So, Sam and I are going to help you uncover the past and get to the hidden truth of the matter. As you know, I've always had a passion for finding out the truth of history, and working together, we can all uncover what happened and maybe even solve some of the worlds greatest mysteries. Sam, Lara, neither of you know this, but I'm rich," said Jo looking a little sheepish.

"You're what?!" exclaimed Lara and Sam at the same time.

"I know. I just got the news last week. My rich uncle died without a will, so as his only living relative, I get everything. Now, I've sold off everything but the house and company he stole from my parents and you'll see why, but long story short, I've had a very special vehicle that I helped design sent here and it should arrive in a day or two. That vehicle will be a rolling fortress and a portable archaeology and film lab. I just love Mutant tech! It's so awesome." Jo looked very pleased with herself.

"Hold on there! You're not coming with me. I couldn't bear it if one of you got hurt or worse because of me," said Lara very decidedly.

"We knew you'd say that, but you can't stop us. Not even if you were to hog-tie us and lock us in the closet. We'd get loose and follow you anyway," said Sam grinning.

Lara sighed, knowing argument was useless. "I guess I have no choice."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Journey Begins.

When Jo had said the vehicle she was waiting for was a rolling fortress, she hadn't been joking. The thing was twice the size of a Humvee, yet extremely mobile. It was an amphibious vehicle as well. The metal it was made of was indestructible and the windshield and windows were indestructible fiberglass. The eight tires could sprout gripping spikes or turn into waterwheel-like paddles. There were only four points of entry or exit; the two standard driver and passenger doors, the hatch on the rear, and the turret hatch on the top.

This monster was armed as well as armored. There was a 50 cal. full auto machine gun that could be mounted on a 360º rail mount around the turret hatch and there were all kinds of firearms, explosives and weapons of all kinds stashed in various racks built into the interior of the walls.

Lara was impressed with the wide variety of weapons in the beast, but what impressed her even more was the fully functional archeology lab. Also, there was a full yet compact film lab, a supercomputer, and living quarters.

"Girls, I give you the M.A.T.E.V. The Mutant All Terrain Exploration Vehicle." Jo grinned as she leaned against the side of the huge vehicle.

"Well, let's get going," said Lara tossing her pack in a compartment.

"Think you got enough junk, Sam?" Jo asked, chuckling as Sam struggled to fit her four suitcases in a compartment.

"Hey! At least one of us has to bring a decent wardrobe." Sam laughed.

Jo and Lara laughed as Jo climbed into the driver's seat and Lara closed and locked the doors. After a few more minutes of struggling Sam managed to get her stuff stashed and sat in the seat behind Jo. Lara sat in the passenger seat and pulled out one of her father's journals as Jo started the M.A.T.E.V. and the journey began. She had retrieved his notes and journals from Croft Manor while Jo was waiting for the M.A.T.E.V. Now, she poured over the contents, searching for some clue as to where to start.

Richard Croft kept detailed notes, but they were in a system all his own. Lara knew the answers she sought were inside, but the passages of the journals made no mention of anything she didn't already know. The parts she could read that is. Lord Croft had developed his own language. Not a code, not a cypher, but a language that only he could understand. Or so people claimed. Ofttimes as a child, Lara had seen him make notes and entries in this language, but she never could grasp it. Now she stared at the meaningless words as if looking at them long and hard enough would grant her understanding.

"You'll give yourself a headache if you stare at those pages too long," Jo said suddenly.

"I have to decipher my father's language if we ever hope to find out what he was doing and where. It will save us valuable time," said Lara.

"That's easy. He just used the Cordoni Speech," said Jo.

"What?! You mean to tell me you could read this all along and you didn't tell me?!" Lara exclaimed furiously.

"You never asked." Jo shrugged as she turned her attention back to the road.

Lara slumped back, very much annoyed with her friend.

"Hey, where are we going anyway?" Sam asked, trying to ease the tension.

"Rentok Island. But first, we're gonna pay a long over due visit to an old friend," said Jo.

 **Author's Note: I am completely rewriting this story so this version is being discontinued. The new version will take place after the second game in the reboot series and I'm going to wait until I completely finish the story before I start posting it so I don't run out of finished chapters to post like last time.**


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